Amazing Castles From Around the World
Bodiam Castle, England
Bodiam Castle is arguably the finest example of medieval moated military architecture in Britain. It was built between 1385 and 1388 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a veteran of the 100 Years War.
Dalyngrigge acquired the estate and manor of Bodiam through his marriage to the heiress Elizabeth Wardeux. This manor house was not where the present Castle stands, but to the North of Bodiam Church in the adjacent valley of the Kent Ditch.
The Wardeux family had acquired the manor by marriage to the de Bodeham family, who had held it since the conquest when it was given to Hugh, Count of Eu, a kinsman of the Conqueror. Hugh gave the manor to his son who took the name "de Bodeham' from the name of the Saxon settlement on the site.Bodiam Castle, England
Bodiam Castle is arguably the finest example of medieval moated military architecture in Britain. It was built between 1385 and 1388 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a veteran of the 100 Years War.
Dalyngrigge acquired the estate and manor of Bodiam through his marriage to the heiress Elizabeth Wardeux. This manor house was not where the present Castle stands, but to the North of Bodiam Church in the adjacent valley of the Kent Ditch.
The Wardeux family had acquired the manor by marriage to the de Bodeham family, who had held it since the conquest when it was given to Hugh, Count of Eu, a kinsman of the Conqueror. Hugh gave the manor to his son who took the name "de Bodeham' from the name of the Saxon settlement on the site.
Dunnottar Castle (Dùn Fhoithear), Scotland
There were only two ways in or out of Dunnottar Castle. The first was via the incredibly strongly defended main gate set in a cleft in the rock where unwanted callers would be vulnerable to attack from all sides. The second was via a rocky creek leading to a cave on the north side of the rock. From here a steep path led up the cliff to the well defended postern gate.
Given Dunnottar's obvious defensive qualities, it is no surprise to find that it has been home to fortifications of one sort or another for most of the past two thousand years and probably much longer. The very name "dun" is Pictish for fort and it is believed that St Ninian came to Dunnottar in the late 400s, converting the Picts to Christianity and founding a chapel here.
(Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany)
(Blutenburg Castle/Palace, Germany)
In the 1530s, Duke
Albrecht III had the "Pluedenburg" on the River Würm, around 10
kilometres away from his town residence, converted into a country seat.
In 1467 his successor, Duke Sigismund, abdicated in favour of his
brother Albrecht IV and withdrew to Blutenburg, which he extended from
1488 with a church beautifully furnished in the late Gothic style. Duke
Sigismund died at Blutenburg in 1501.
The present complex still reflects the structure of the 15th-century
moated castle with its main building – where Duke Albrecht III lived
with Agnes Bernauer – surrounding wall with towers and spacious
outbuildings, which are dominated by the church.
The palace church, furnished with late-Gothic masterpieces, is a simple building with a single nave and a choir enclosed on three sides. The three altars by Jan Polack are among the best examples of panel painting from the late-Gothic period. The main altar, with both wings closed, shows the saints Bartholomew and Sigismund, together with the duke as patron. When open, the left wing of the altar shows the baptism of Christ and the right wing the coronation of Mary with the Holy Trinity on the throne. The throne motif recurs in the majestic representation of the mercy seat in the central picture of the altar. The side altars – Christ as King among the saints and the Annunciation – date from 1491.
The palace church, furnished with late-Gothic masterpieces, is a simple building with a single nave and a choir enclosed on three sides. The three altars by Jan Polack are among the best examples of panel painting from the late-Gothic period. The main altar, with both wings closed, shows the saints Bartholomew and Sigismund, together with the duke as patron. When open, the left wing of the altar shows the baptism of Christ and the right wing the coronation of Mary with the Holy Trinity on the throne. The throne motif recurs in the majestic representation of the mercy seat in the central picture of the altar. The side altars – Christ as King among the saints and the Annunciation – date from 1491.
(Golubac Fortress, Serbia)
Golubac fortress has been erected
on high, steep and rocky cliffs about 4 km downstream from the namesake
town, on the left bank of Danube and at the entrance to the Djerdap
gorge.
It was built in the beginning of 14th century as a border stronghold of strategic importance. It is mentioned for the first time in historic sources dating back to 1335, and had a Hungarian garrison. It belonged to Serbs in the first decades of 15th century. After the death of despot Stefan in 1427, Golubac should have gone back to Hungary, but fell into Turkish hands. Turks stay until 1444 when it passes under the rule of despot Djuradj Brankovic. Turks captured the fortress again in 1458 and hold it in their hands, not counting short interruptions, until the beginning of 19th century.
The Fortress had nine high square towers on advanced strategic sites, connected by a jagged path. In the 30s of the 20th century the fortress was pierced making room for the major regional road to pass through it. Construction of Djerdap hydroelectric dam made Danube watercourse to rise and flood lower parts of the fort.
It was built in the beginning of 14th century as a border stronghold of strategic importance. It is mentioned for the first time in historic sources dating back to 1335, and had a Hungarian garrison. It belonged to Serbs in the first decades of 15th century. After the death of despot Stefan in 1427, Golubac should have gone back to Hungary, but fell into Turkish hands. Turks stay until 1444 when it passes under the rule of despot Djuradj Brankovic. Turks captured the fortress again in 1458 and hold it in their hands, not counting short interruptions, until the beginning of 19th century.
The Fortress had nine high square towers on advanced strategic sites, connected by a jagged path. In the 30s of the 20th century the fortress was pierced making room for the major regional road to pass through it. Construction of Djerdap hydroelectric dam made Danube watercourse to rise and flood lower parts of the fort.
(Duart Castle, Scotland)
Duart Castle or Caisteal Dhubhairt in
Scottish Gaelic is a castle on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of
Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute. The castle dates
back to the 13th century and is the seat of Clan MacLean.
In 1350 Lachlan Lubanach Maclean of Duart, the 5th Clan Chief, married Mary, daughter of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles and Duart was part of her dowry.
In 1647, Duart Castle was attacked and laid siege to by the Argyll government troops of Clan Campbell, but they were defeated and driven off by the Royalist troops of Clan MacLean.
In September 1653, a Cromwellian task force of six ships anchored off the castle, but the Macleans had already fled to Tiree. A storm blew up on the 13 September and three ships were lost, including HMS Swan.
In 1678, Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, son of the Marquess of Argyll, successfully invaded the Clan MacLean lands on the Isle of Mull and Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet fled the castle and withdrew to Cairnbulg Castle, and afterward to Kintail under the protection of the Earl of Seaforth.
In 1691 Duart Castle was surrendered by Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet to Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll. The Campbell clan demolished the castle, and the stones from the walls were scattered. Donald Maclean, 5th Laird of Torloisk used some of the stones to build a cottage for his family close to the site of the castle.
In 1350 Lachlan Lubanach Maclean of Duart, the 5th Clan Chief, married Mary, daughter of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles and Duart was part of her dowry.
In 1647, Duart Castle was attacked and laid siege to by the Argyll government troops of Clan Campbell, but they were defeated and driven off by the Royalist troops of Clan MacLean.
In September 1653, a Cromwellian task force of six ships anchored off the castle, but the Macleans had already fled to Tiree. A storm blew up on the 13 September and three ships were lost, including HMS Swan.
In 1678, Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, son of the Marquess of Argyll, successfully invaded the Clan MacLean lands on the Isle of Mull and Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet fled the castle and withdrew to Cairnbulg Castle, and afterward to Kintail under the protection of the Earl of Seaforth.
In 1691 Duart Castle was surrendered by Sir John Maclean, 4th Baronet to Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll. The Campbell clan demolished the castle, and the stones from the walls were scattered. Donald Maclean, 5th Laird of Torloisk used some of the stones to build a cottage for his family close to the site of the castle.
(Forges Castle, France)
In the middle of the 15th century the castle and Seigneurship came into the Tyrel family of Picardie, Sires de Poix. According to letters from 4 May 1442, Jehan de Poix a henchman of Charles VII received from the king, the authorisation to “Fortify and create ramparts in the said place of Forges and to make moats, walls, towers, palisades, drawbridge and barbican there.” (These later constructions no longer exist.) He was granted this for “Good services of our said henchman, who helped us as much during war as in his said office.” Forges remained in the same family for nearly three centuries until Marguerite de Poix, who also held the title Dame de Forges (in various capacities). She married Antoine de Lage, Seigneur de la Palisse, around 1600 but left no descendants.
Castel del Monte, Italia
In
its formal perfection and its harmonious blending of cultural elements
from northern Europe and classical antiquity, Castel
del Monte is a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture,
reflecting of its founder, Frederick II of Hohenstaufen.
Frederick succeeded his father, Emperor Henry VI, in 1197 at the age of three. During his reign, which lasted until 1250, he brought order to his unruly kingdom of Sicily, which included much of southern Italy and introduced a period of intense cultural activity known as the 'Southern Renaissance'. He was a man of great culture, at home in several languages, with high attainments in mathematics, astronomy and natural sciences; he brought scholars and artists from the Arab lands, Greece, and elsewhere to his court, had the works of Aristotle, Averroës, Ptolemy and Galen translated into Latin, and founded the University of Naples. His many talents earned him the title of Stupor Mundi (Wonder of the World).
He was also an able ruler, who bought social and economic stability to his people. However, his policy in Italy, unlike that in Germany, where he encouraged the feudal system, was that of an absolute monarch. For this reason, and also for defensive purposes, he built a number of strong castles in his lands of Apulia, Calabria and Sicily, the largest and most influential of which was Castel del Monte. It was finished in 1240 and became the permanent seat of his court. With his death in 1250 the Hohenstaufen hold over the kingdom was weakened, and the Angevin dynasty ruled until the mid-15th century. Castel del Monte, no longer the seat of power, like most castles from this period, served as a stronghold and then a barracks until the 19th century, and slowly losing its resplendent decoration through pillage, vandalism and neglect.
Frederick succeeded his father, Emperor Henry VI, in 1197 at the age of three. During his reign, which lasted until 1250, he brought order to his unruly kingdom of Sicily, which included much of southern Italy and introduced a period of intense cultural activity known as the 'Southern Renaissance'. He was a man of great culture, at home in several languages, with high attainments in mathematics, astronomy and natural sciences; he brought scholars and artists from the Arab lands, Greece, and elsewhere to his court, had the works of Aristotle, Averroës, Ptolemy and Galen translated into Latin, and founded the University of Naples. His many talents earned him the title of Stupor Mundi (Wonder of the World).
He was also an able ruler, who bought social and economic stability to his people. However, his policy in Italy, unlike that in Germany, where he encouraged the feudal system, was that of an absolute monarch. For this reason, and also for defensive purposes, he built a number of strong castles in his lands of Apulia, Calabria and Sicily, the largest and most influential of which was Castel del Monte. It was finished in 1240 and became the permanent seat of his court. With his death in 1250 the Hohenstaufen hold over the kingdom was weakened, and the Angevin dynasty ruled until the mid-15th century. Castel del Monte, no longer the seat of power, like most castles from this period, served as a stronghold and then a barracks until the 19th century, and slowly losing its resplendent decoration through pillage, vandalism and neglect.
(Toblino Castle, Italy)